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Hammers escape with draw at Richmond

Published: Saturday, June 14, 2014 at 11:52 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, June 14, 2014 at 11:52 p.m.

Wilmington Hammerheads FC scored twice in the final 10 minutes to draw host Richmond 2-2 on Saturday in a USL Pro match.

Trailing 2-0, Jordan Hamilton – who entered as a substitute in the 62nd minute – scored with a header in the 80th minute off Mickael Oliveira's corner kick. Five minutes later, Oliveira tied the match after Sammy Ochoa played him a ball and he shot from the right edge of the penalty box, putting the ball in the left side of the net.

“We didn't start off the best,” Hammerheads coach David Irving said. “But (coming back) shows a lot of character in this team. This was a character builder for the whole team.”

Both teams had scoring chances in the final minutes, but goalkeepers Quillan Roberts for Wilmington (four saves) and Joe Willis for Richmond (eight saves) made point-blank stops, including one Willis made on a bicycle kick from Oliveira in the 90th minute.

The Hammers (5-1-4, 19 points) extended their unbeaten streak to seven, and Richmond (7-1-6, 27 points) is unbeaten in its last 11 USL Pro matches.

Wilmington fell behind 2-0 in the first half on headers by Matthew Delicate in the 13th and 45th minutes.

“Two poor goals,” Irving said. “Two crosses to the same guy. That's disappointing. But it was a game of two halves.”

<p><a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic9944"><b>Wilmington Hammerheads</b></a> FC scored twice in the final 10 minutes to draw host Richmond 2-2 on Saturday in a USL Pro match.</p><p>Trailing 2-0, Jordan Hamilton – who entered as a substitute in the 62nd minute – scored with a header in the 80th minute off Mickael Oliveira's corner kick. Five minutes later, Oliveira tied the match after Sammy Ochoa played him a ball and he shot from the right edge of the penalty box, putting the ball in the left side of the net.</p><p>“We didn't start off the best,” Hammerheads coach David Irving said. “But (coming back) shows a lot of character in this team. This was a character builder for the whole team.”</p><p>Both teams had scoring chances in the final minutes, but goalkeepers Quillan Roberts for Wilmington (four saves) and Joe Willis for Richmond (eight saves) made point-blank stops, including one Willis made on a bicycle kick from Oliveira in the 90th minute.</p><p>The Hammers (5-1-4, 19 points) extended their unbeaten streak to seven, and Richmond (7-1-6, 27 points) is unbeaten in its last 11 USL Pro matches.</p><p>Wilmington fell behind 2-0 in the first half on headers by Matthew Delicate in the 13th and 45th minutes.</p><p>“Two poor goals,” Irving said. “Two crosses to the same guy. That's disappointing. But it was a game of two halves.”</p><p><i></p><p>- Vince Nairn</i></p>